An ultra-modern church building located in Community 16 District of The Church of Pentecost in the Teshie-Nungua Area has been dedicated and named after the late Elder Albert Hugh Lartey Clottey, a former Finance Manager at the Headquarters.

The three-storey church building has a large auditorium with several other rooms for children, teens and other activities.

The Area Head, Prophet James Osei Amaniampong, who performed the dedication ceremony, commended the District Minister, Pastor Stephen Tetteh Nanor and his wife, Christiana for the key role they played in completing the building.

In a sermon on the topic, “Great House,” Pastor Dr. Joseph Ignatius Buertey (Projects, Development & Estate Manager at the Headquarters) listed the four pillars of the Jewish faith as Abraham (their patriarch), Moses (who gave them the law and is regarded as the greatest prophet), David (who is the greatest King and through whom the Messiah came) and The temple (which is the core of their lives).

Pastor Dr. Buertey, who is also the Resident Pastor of Shalom Worship Centre in the Kaneshie Area, quoted various passages from the Bible such as 2 Timothy 2:20-21 and Exodus 25 and gave an account of the building of the first Temple and the glory of God which descended upon it. He outlined how subsequent renovations and inaugurations of the refurbished Temples were not accompanied by the presence of the glory of God.

He said Ezekiel saw the glory of God moving away from the Temple during his era.

He mentioned that inside the great temple which had a height of about 15 stories were articles of wood, bronze silver and gold.

Pastor Buertey explained that it was the sins of the people, particular idol worship that moved the glory of God away from the Temple. He urged members of the church to behave like gold in the house of God which is the most previous of all the temple decorations.

The family of Elder Clottey was grateful to the Executive Council, the leadership of the Church in the Area for the honour done their father. They donated items and money to the Church.

The late Albert Hugh Clottey Lartey was born in Accra on April 7, 1926. He started his education at the Government Junior School at James Town in 1932 and completed in 1942 and passed the standard seven examinations with distinction. In 1943, he enrolled in Accra Academy for his secondary education but in 1944, he was mobilised into the Gold Coast Army during the Second World War. After the war, he was employed at G.B Olivet as a Clerk where he rose through the ranks to become the Branch Manager and retired in 1981.

Elder Clottey though a Methodist joined the Gold Coast Apostolic Church in 1951. He was very active and one of the close confidants of the Founder of the Church, Pastor James Mckeown. Elder Clottey married Grace Larbie of Accra and their marriage was blessed with 12 children.

He was appointed the Finance Manager of the Church in the year 1983 to 1986. He was also elected as Regional Deacon for the Greater Accra Region in 1984. He also served as a Board Member of the Pentecost Press and other committees.

He was one of the founding members of the Tweneboa Assembly in the Dansoman Area. He was called to glory in May 1992 at the age of 66 years.

Report by Isabella Gyau Orhin